A mechanical malfunction sparked a fire on an Airbus Delta jet as it arrived at Sea-Tac airport, causing a moment of panic among passengers. The incident occurred on Delta Flight 604, which had just landed from Cancun, Mexico. Passengers were instructed to quickly evacuate the aircraft after a fire broke out near the nose area of the jet.

Seattle resident Ashwin Menon, a software engineer, recalled the urgency of the situation as the crew directed passengers to leave their belongings, unbuckle, and make their way to the exits. Despite initial panic and some jostling, the evacuation process was described as relatively smooth.

The Airbus A321neo involved in the incident was reported to be less than two years old, according to Delta Spokesperson Morgan Durrant. The flight was carrying 189 passengers, two pilots, and four flight attendants at the time of the emergency.

Passenger Menon shared his experience of calmly exiting the aircraft via the emergency slides, emphasizing the swift evacuation that saw everyone safely disembark within minutes of the fire being detected.

The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of emergency preparedness and swift response protocols in ensuring the safety of airline passengers during unforeseen events.